2018 Make Nine

Hello old friends and new readers! It’s that time of year again. Time for a fresh start, new goals to reach and new ambitions to make ALL THE THINGS!!!!! Well, if you’re like me you start out with the best intentions but then life happens and before you know it it’s December and you find yourself looking back on the previous year wondering where all the time went and why you couldn’t physically make ALL THE THINGS.

Spoiler Alert: It’s because you’re a human.

So here we are, back at the start of a new year equipped with 12 months of lessons learned to propel us forward towards Making success. So instead of making ALL THE THINGS, let’s really sit down and focus on just a few. Nine to be exact…

The “Make Nine” challenge first came to light by accident back in December of 2015 when the increasingly popular “Best Nine” hashtag was circling its way around Instagram. Instead of sharing my best nine photos from the past year, I looked to the future and decided to share nine projects I wanted to sew/knit/quilt in the new year. Thus, the inaugural #2016MakeNine challenge was born. Three years later the mini maker’s challenge continues, encouraging you to buckle down your focus and work towards a few solid goals.

Of course you can make more than nine things in a year if you want to! I usually do. But this challenge is especially helpful for those pressed for time (like me), looking to build a capsule wardrobe (also me), or pinpoint a mini collection of projects under a particular theme.

This is a gentle challenge. It’s not one that you can fail. It’s meant to be flexible, a tool you can use to evaluate your motivations and needs for working towards specific things as the year goes on. This is meant to be a challenge focused on learning more about yourself and your making habits while achieving goals. Work at your own pace and join in at any time. – That’s it!

After you decide on your nine projects, be sure to share them on Instagram using the hashtag #2018MakeNine. I’ll be kicking off a fun photo challenge, #2018TakeNine starting January 1st, too! I’m @homerowfiberco on IG if you don’t know that already.

You can use a free app like Pic Frame, or stylize your own way to share your nine projects. Be sure to tag and give proper credit to any pattern-makers when you share.

Need some help narrowing it down?

Here are 9 questions to consider when choosing your 9 projects:

What do you want or need? Be forgiving about pattern choice but get specific about what you want/need to make this year.

What did you learn from last year’s successes and “failures”? If you didn’t finish something on last year’s list, ask yourself why.

What values are important to you? Are you working towards a capsule wardrobe? A more ethical one? Are you on a budget? Being practical about what you choose to make is not boring or against the spirit of a challenge. There is success in logic.

What’s in your laundry basket right now that you wear all the time? Are you interested in trying to recreate it?

What types of things do you really LOVE making? What do you dislike making? If you hate making pants, you don’t have to put them on your list just to feel like you conquered some new technique.

Are you a seasonal maker? Maybe your Make Nine list only includes summer patterns. Or winter knits. That’s totally okay!

Look at your calendar. Time isn’t found, it’s made. How much time can you make for each of the projects on your list?

Do you want to stash-bust? Why or why not? Don’t force yourself to make something just because you’ve owned the pattern for years. If you haven’t made it yet, maybe your tastes have changed. That’s normal. No need to feel guilty about that. Maybe it’s time to re-home some patterns that no longer speak to you and start fresh.

Is there a completely new-to-you type of project that you want to explore? Do you have the time and patience to explore it, knowing it’s possible you won’t like/wear it in the end? If yes, by all means branch out and try new things! That’s how you grow and get better.

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I’m still working on my #2018MakeNine list and will share it in the coming weeks after I go through each of these questions myself. I can’t wait to see what you all make! Thanks for playing along with me 🙂

A BLOG BY ROCHELLE NEW

Hi there,
I'm Rochelle and this is a candid look at my quest to create a me-made/homemade wardrobe, one t-shirt and knit hat at a time. I live for "secret pajamas" and touching the softest yarn to my face. My spirit animal, and this blog's namesake, is Lucille. We currently reside in the Finger Lakes Region of NY where we spend a lot of time perfecting the art of homebody-ing.
Thanks for stopping by!